$353,574Average Value$193Average Price per Sq Ft6Homes For Sale
Small-city life with historic and modern appeal
Of all the residential neighborhoods surrounding Downtown Lancaster, Chestnut Hill is one with a distinct identity. This walkable community is home to hip eateries of national and local renown, all tucked away in a comfortable neighborhood atmosphere just steps from Downtown. “Everyone knows Chestnut Hill for the food scene, but it also has an excellent community feel,” says Monica Miller, a Realtor with Realty One Group Unlimited who lived in the neighborhood for four years. “I moved out to the suburbs and actually ended up coming back to the city because it’s my happy place. This is the kind of neighborhood where you can knock on your neighbor’s door for sugar or let your kid walk down the block to the ice cream shop.” With schools and parks sharing streets with restaurants and shops, Chestnut Hill appeals to families, young professionals and retirees alike.
Three-story Victorian- and Colonial-inspired townhomes
In Chestnut Hill, neighbors relax on the front porches of early 20th-century townhouses. Bay windows and dormer windows peer out over the narrow, gridded streets, with Colonial Revival and Italianate stylings framing the brick exteriors. In front of the rows of attached and semi-attached homes, maples and elms stand proud. “It feels like a scene out of a movie,” Miller says of the neighborhood’s tree-lined streets. “People put a lot of effort into preserving the old facades and historic homes. You won’t find many big backyards, but there are dozens of gorgeous Victorian houses.” This is a particularly sought-after side of the city, and although some townhouses in need of repairs can list at $150,000, recent renovations and other perks, such as included parking, can push prices upwards of $700,000. Detached homes are particularly desirable, pushing prices to $1 million. Multifamily properties typically sell between $200,000 and $650,000.
Three story row homes are abundant in the Chestnut Hill neighborhood.
Tightly packed single-family homes with colonial influences are found in Chestnut Hill.
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Trendy restaurants such as Luca and Cabalar
Chestnut Hill’s restaurant scene rose to national attention in 2016 with the opening of Luca, which received rave reviews from Food Network star Alton Brown and food writers for the New York Times. The trendy, rustic restaurant takes inspiration from the traditions of central Italy with its wood-burning oven, plus a lengthy wine list paired with handmade pasta. Although Luca might be one of the neighborhood’s best-known restaurants, it’s far from the only one — bars and eateries pop up left and right while wandering the streets, from longstanding institutions like Rachel’s Creperie and Café to relative newcomers on the scene such as Calabar Meat Co. “Cabalar has the absolute best burgers ever, and they’re also a butchery,” Miller says, noting that the restaurant also sells cuts of its locally sourced meat. She also recommends Splits & Giggles for after-dinner ice cream and Chestnut Hill Café for a cozy coffee and bagels.
The trendy Italian restaurant LUCA is the most popular eatery in Chestnut Hill.
Warehouse District Beer Garden in Chestnut Hill is a place to gather with friends and relax.
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Festivals and fresh air at Buchanan Park
Buchanan Park flanks Chestnut Hill to the west, covering grassy hillsides dotted by towering oaks. A statue of President James Buchanan is located in the park, surrounded by flowering bushes and a bench where passersby can stop to admire the well-kept landscaping. The community frequently gathers here for events, including the highly anticipated MusicFest in the fall and traveling Lancaster Beer Gardens in the summer. Although the park is home to basketball courts, tennis courts and sporting fields, its most popular amenity is Beau’s Dream Dog Park. Lancaster resident Angela came up with the concept for the park on behalf of her pup, Beau, and was voted the winner of Beneful’s Dream Dog Park Contest in 2012. The $500,000 dog park now features puppy splash pads and water fountains, plus separate play areas for small and large dogs. Also bordering the park is the North Museum of Nature and Science, a popular field trip destination for its paleontology gallery and planetarium. Mayor Janice C. Stork Corridor Park is also just north of the neighborhood, with playgrounds and tree-lined walking paths weaving between residential buildings and commercial spaces.
Buchanan Park near Chestnut Hill is one of the city's biggest and most-visited parks.
Nice days in Chestnut Hills see an array of activities in Buchanan Park, like volleyball games.
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Shows at Fulton Theater and games at Clipper Magazine Stadium
Clipper Magazine Stadium is just north of the neighborhood and is home to the Lancaster Stormers, who play in the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. In the offseason, the stadium hosts holiday celebrations and events such as a drive-through holiday lights show. To the east, the neighborhood borders Gallery Row on North Prince Street, the center of the city’s art scene that spans theaters, galleries and art schools. Fulton Theater is the area’s foremost landmark, considered to be the oldest operating theater in the nation. Today, the “Grand Old Lady of Prince Street” brings locally produced shows and youth theater camps to the community.
Voted best stadium by Ballpark Digest, Clipper Magazine Stadium is next to Chestnut Hill.
East Side residents can watch plays at Fulton Theatre, the oldest working theatre in the US.
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Groceries from Lancaster Central Market and Lemon Street Market
Proximity to Downtown Lancaster shopping is a major draw to Chestnut Hill. “There aren’t any big chain grocery stores in the city, but you can do a lot of your shopping at Lancaster Central Market,” Miller says. “On Saturdays, you’ll see people walking to the market with their produce baskets. I’d take my kids every week and let them pick out a treat.” Some residents pick up everyday goods at the neighborhood’s local grocer, Lemon Street Market. “This area is an agricultural mecca,” says Jax Lanza, who works at the market. “There are lots of farm-to-table restaurants, and our market carries tons of organic, gluten-free and vegan items. I see lots of regulars who live in the neighborhood and come here every day, so it really does feel like a small, tight-knit community.” Bookstores, pharmacies and record stores are also dotted across the neighborhood, wedged between houses in unassuming but quaint brick storefronts.
Central Market is close to Chestnut Hill and is open every Tuesday, Friday and Saturday.
Lemon Street Market in Chestnut Hill is am independent and woman-owned grocery store.
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High foot traffic and Amtrak commutes to Philly
Walkability is king in Chestnut Hill, as most of the neighborhood is less than a mile from Downtown Lancaster and its attractions. Lancaster General Hospital is also roughly a mile away, directly down James Street. “That’s the street where you want to have a heart attack,” Miller says. “A lot of doctors live around there because of the hospital’s Home in the City program, which helps them with the down payment on houses nearby.” Red Rose Transit Authority buses stop throughout the neighborhood, enabling some residents to get around without a car. Those with longer commutes can head a couple of miles north to hop on U.S. Route 30, where big-box stores and shopping centers cluster along the highway. Philadelphia is about 80 miles east, and some commuters catch Amtrak trains from Lancaster Station, which also provides service to Pittsburgh, Harrisburg and New York City.
Chestnut Hill commuters can find numerous bus routes and stations throughout the neighborhood.
The The Lancaster Station near Chestnut Hill gets commuters to Philly, New York City and beyond.
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Local schools and top-ranked Lancaster Country Day School
Homes in Chestnut Hill are zoned to the School District of Lancaster. Students on the northern end of the neighborhood attend Thomas Wharton Elementary, graded a C-plus by Niche. To the south, students attend Fulton Elementary, which scores a C. Both schools feed into the C-rated Reynolds Middle, which is centrally located in the community. About a mile east is McCaskey High, which receives a B-minus. The high school is split between two campuses: the main building, J.P. McCaskey (often shortened to J.P.), and McCaskey East. It also offers the International Baccalaureate Diploma. An option for private education in the area includes Lancaster Country Day School, which Niche grades an A-plus and ranks as the best private K-12 school in Lancaster. To the west, the neighborhood borders the campus of Franklin & Marshall College, a private liberal arts school. Founded in 1787, F&M is one of the oldest still-operating colleges in the U.S. and is known for sorting undergraduate students into Hogwarts-style houses that engage in both academic and social activities.
Lancaster Country Day School ranks as the No. 1 best private K-12 School in Lancaster.
Public-school students living in Chestnut Hill can begin at Thomas Wharton Elementary.
GreatSchools:
The GreatSchools Rating helps parents compare schools within a state based on a variety of school quality indicators and provides a helpful picture of how effectively each school serves all of its students. Ratings are on a scale of 1 (below average) to 10 (above average) and can include test scores, college readiness, academic progress, advanced courses, equity, discipline and attendance data. We also advise parents to visit schools, consider other information on school performance and programs, and consider family needs as part of the school selection process.
View GreatSchools Rating Methodology
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to let others know what life in this neighborhood is like.
Crime and Safety
1 - Low Crime, 10 - High Crime
Chestnut Hill
US
Homicide
4
4
Sexual Assault
6
4
Assault with Weapon
5
4
Robbery
4
4
Burglary
5
4
Motor Vehicle Theft
5
4
Larceny
5
4
Crime Score
5
4
Source: WhatIsMyCrimeRisk.com
Chestnut Hill Demographics and Home Trends
On average, homes in Chestnut Hill, Lancaster sell after 31 days on the market compared to the national average of 53 days. The median sale price for homes in Chestnut Hill, Lancaster over the last 12 months is $324,000, down 1% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
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Anna ReiffHoward Hanna Real Estate Services - Lancaster
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